Modern Paint Equivalents

[stellarrestorations]

I'm wondering if somebody out there has already done the legwork to determine an accurate color cross reference for the color Tamiami Green on the 1955 Plymouth color chart.

I've checked with DuPont and PPG and they did not provide a modern equivalent, even after checking with their respective color libraries.

I'm aware of TCP Global and their site autocolorlibrary.com     Not certain that they have any better reference than my local PPG which usually does a pretty good job.  I'm surprised that this color stumped my local jobbers.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

Edited January 11, 2016 by stellarrestorations

[ssnowden]

How about this site? 

 

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?year=1955&con=y&make=Plymouth&rows=50

[stellarrestorations]

Thanks, I've been to that site numerous times on other projects and either have no idea on how it works, or it simply confirms the information I already know..... the PPG number for Tamiami Green is 41636.   I occasionally will see a color name that is used numerous times, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the actual colors are the same, only that they have the same name...

 

Have you been able to glean more information from that site?

 

Thanks for your help....

 

Tim

[knuckleharley]

Is there some reason you can't take a paint chip to a paint wholesaler,and them them "match this color for me"?

 

Who cares what the name is if it looks the same?

 

There is a factory color I plan on painting my 51,and have seen a half-dozen examples of restored cars painted what is supposed to be this same color,and every single one of them looks different to me.

 

Soooo,I am going to print out a photo of the shade I like best,take it to a paint store,and tell them to "give me that".

 

And I am going to call it by the factory name.

[Plymouthy Adams]

your chances of an actual 100 point match is slim to none. reasoning, the paint formulas have changed, the tints are changed to match those formulas and while they will call it what ever color you wish to order and or match per nice chip...it is still going to be just a close approximately thereof...I have spoke to a number of major paint companies and have gotten this answers from them all.  In this case, close enough is generally as close as you going to get.

[Bingster]

Buy a quart and shoot it on a piece of sheet metal. If off, buy another quart etc. till you get what you want.

[whtbaron]

If you go to the year on the site that SSnowden provided, they give a PPG code of 41636 for Tamiami Green (code 615), so mixing that code shouldn't be a problem. If that chip is anywhere close to being accurate I would think it could be mixed in any system. We used to have a book of what we called "fleet chips" that basically started at white, went to black and gave you every code in between. Even if the fleet chip was off a little, it's no big deal to lighten or darken it a bit, but that will make it harder to match down the road. You just need to find yourself an experienced paint mixer with a good eye for color and forget whether or not it's the "original" code. Most manufacturers in those years probably had a color very close to that.

Edited January 12, 2016 by whtbaron

[desoto1939]

I know that you want an exact match in the color but even when attending an AACA judging seminar the judges are looking at the overall color of the car and determine if this is an appropriate color that could have been used. They do not know the color codes that are on the cowl tag that is mounted on the car.

So if you a 39 Desoto like I do and the color is a green blue that is similar to the original they have accepted that color because it could have been used, BUT if I have the car painted in a metal flack color then they definitely would flag the color.

So the big question is does the owner want the perfect match or so close that no one will ever know except you the restore and the owner. It also depends on what they are planning to do with the car. Are they going for an AACA Grand NAtional 400 point car or just a good restoration that they can drive, enjoy and have overall fun and take it to local and also some AACA shows.

These questions all lead to what is an exact paint match. Also does the color make the customer happy.

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Dave72dt]

I mix paint for customers on a regular basis and find very few of the older paint codes will transfer over to the more modern chems. The toners used to mix those older codes are no longer used as well as some of the binders used to finish the mix. Alkyd enamels are now acrylic and urethanes are dominant now with waterborne being used more and more. Binders have a color to them as well and affect the final tint of the mix. While we have fairly good UV protection built into our modern paint systems, such was not the case years ago and it's difficult to say how much the original color has changed due to the environment it's been exposed to a and time itself. Throw the color of the primer or sealer into the mix as well since that can lighten or darken the final color as well and you have another reason why a mix can look different with the exact same formula. No one really knows how accurate the color chips are to the actual mix either, throw that in as well.

[knuckleharley]

 No one really knows how accurate the color chips are to the actual mix either, throw that in as well.

I don't know about anyone else,but the more I look at paint chips on a chart,the more they all look alike to me.  Especially when looking at them under florescent lights. Do yourselves a favor and step outside into the sunshine to view the paint chips before you settle on the final tone.